All of the travel guides and other references I have seen say you can not use a credit card to buy gas in Namibia.

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of wether or not this is correct?

It is relevent to our trip because we are traveling on our own after the safari.

Dulcinea

Whenther it is true or not, you should be prepared to pay cash 100% of the time, for everything. Then you will not have any trouble.

I have always tried to avoid credit cards anywhere in Africa. I like to know what I am paying.

I haven't "been there, done that", but my understanding is that gas stations are not customarily set up to take credit cards. I can't say why, except that taking credit cards requires fast telecommunications in order to verify the card and such telecommunications are rare outside of Windhoek.

Please note that while many countries have "modernized" their driving rules by switching from left-hand to right-hand drive, Namibia is the ONLY country in the entire world to switch from right to left. And in spite of the fact that it is the second least-densly populated country in the world (Mongolia holds the title), it also has an abysmal reputation for road safety. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

if I remember well it is correct, but you can exchange some hundred US dollars in Namibian dollars or S.A. Rand, and probably you will have still some at the end of the trip.

Some suggestion:
The gas staions are good also for buy Ice for coleman frigo, water and driks, something to eat etc.

Look also, in the little cities , for german car like BMW, Mercedes and car like that. There will be some cake shop or bar. These are European/German Style, and normally you will eat very well.

When you want, or you have, to leave the car for some time, look before for the people wiyh orange jackets and sticks in hand.

They work in a sort of Security and they will take care of your car avoiding robberies and damage. Tip them with some coin, something like a US dollar or two.

In some place you will see them with military rifles or shotguns, tipically restaurants in some town or little cities.

The often reepeated suggestion is DON'T LEAVE YOUR CAR OUT OF ANY CONTROL.

Hhave you already booked your car? If you havent PM me for my suggestion.

You can not use credit cards at service stations. Though there are some service stations which are hooked up, they don't make use of them due to various scams which have been going on... at least they don't provide that service to strangers. 80% of the lodges take VISA etc. and almost all bigger shops in towns do provide for credit card payment.
Roads are okay as long as you stay on them. We had fatal accidents almost every week now with tourists involved. From my point of view it comes down to bad driving from the side of the tourists. Gravel roads are no race tracks!

Actual Exchange rate:

1,00 USD = 7,02985 NAD Namibian Dollars

1 USD = 7,02985 NAD 1 NAD = 0,142250

Maybe Kamaatu can give you the actual price of a liter of gasoline.

Thanks for the tips, will take cash. Already have truck booked. Will try to drive on the correct side of the road, and not at night!!!


Dulcinea

Two recommendations I would make from personal experience:
1) don't try to drive too far in too short a time. Namibia has lot's to see. Take your time.

2) Don't drive too fast. The roads, for the most part, are good - even the gravel ones. But, many of the other drivers are not as good as they think they are and few have insurance. And, "surprises" will happen when you least expect them. I guess that's why they're called "surprises".
Dave

Use RSA Rand. They trade 1 to 1 but trying to exchange NAD for Rand or USD and they discount greatly.

Thanks Ed, I was wondering about that!

Keith

Kamaatu, compared to our gravel roads here where I live, yours are fantastic! I could only wish ours were as good.

Almostacowboy is right, I can say it because I did both + I drove in the dark.

I went from Windhoek to Oshakati driving from the morning until I arrived at about 20:00 o'clock. And I was also alone. Flip, another AR member, said that I was crazy

Stefano,
what on earth did you do in Oshakati and what took you so long?

TSJ, our main gravel roads are okay but as soon as you leave those things look different. Government is short of money (they invest everything in the new state house) so they tend to neglect the smaller gravel roads. I had a stroll recently driving via Okamatapati towards Tsumkwe. Donkeys were hiding in the the potholes.

Kamaatu,
I had to meet Flip, another AR member.

I have to say that I had to stop two time for make a registration to steering. In fact every time that I released the steering wheel, the car went to right. The first time, in Otjiwarongo if I remember well, the tyre specialist repared the front right tyre, then told me that they were not equipped to register the steering. it took a pair of hours because lunch pause. Then he told me also that the nearest workshop of the same chain was in Oshakati. I found another one in Tsumeb and I spent an hour but at the end the car was ok.
Getting out from Tsumeb, I lost 20 minutes for a police check.

By my opinion I loosed near four hours for these little problems.

In which area do you stay? I'll tour 10 days after the hunt, and maybe we can meet.